Message Forums

We collect our Cabanon Stratos TT on Saturday and I can't wait.

Having never towed before is there any advice, do & don'ts you can give me?

Hi Mark

Congrats on the purchase.  The only advise I can give you is to take you time and do not be worried by the idiot drivers behind you trying to overtake you, if unsure pull over and let them pass.  Buy a mirror for drivers side.

Relax and have fun.

Take care Kathy

As both the above but especially remember that its there when you pull out at junctions or try to overtake. oh yes, and relax and enjoy.

Mike

Check, check, check you wind the legs up.

Cheers

Paul

(Ex leg leaver downer)

After you have hitched up, check the lights are working before driving off (indicators, brake lights & road lights)

Allow more time to slow down or accelerate, take corners a bit wider to allow for the extra length.

Relax & enjoy.

Congrats on your purchase, if you can, find a large car park and practice your reversing, can be tricky getting used to opposite locks etc.

Joe

Quote: Originally posted by Biosdoctor on 30/3/2006

---

Check, check, check you wind the legs up.

Cheers

Paul

(Ex leg leaver downer)

---

Hi Mark.

Give yourself plenty of time and try not to rush things.If you intend to load the Stratos up when travelling, watch the nose weight. Before setting off ,make sure everything connected properly and working(electrical plugs and breakaway cable) and hand brake is off.Also make sure all doors locked and everything secured.Just found a link on RAC site .Hope it's of some use.

http://www.rac.co.uk/carcare/advice/general_help/towing_tips

Can't stress enough about taking your time.Whether it's actual driving or checking everything is ok.Some years back after unhitching, I forgot to unplug the lighting cable when I was in a mad rush to be elsewhere......no real damage done but took a little while to rewire it .Lesson learned and have never done it again.Also don't forget the width and give yourself more room round corners.

Above all else have fun.

Hi, we were given a bit of advice (albeit a bit too late) but which we have found useful - once you have hitched up to your car and are ready to pull off, remove your jockey wheel. Ours came a cropper on boarding one of the ferries and you don't really know until you try to lower it! We couldn't source a replacement in France - it's a French tt - they don't put them on the French Models. Sufice to say we came back literally with a spanner in the works holdIng the wheel in place! Now we always remove it when travelling - we have a bin bag handy and it goes in the front box. Have fun with your new toy!

Karin

I have seen people reverse trailers and caravans who seem to have no idea which way to turn the wheel

This sounds just like us, in fact OH will do any amount of pushing to avoid having to reverse, and has in fact invited me to take over the responsibility this year - and I'm tempted to have a bash, and if people have a bit of entertainment while I'm trying to get into the pitch so be it!  And I think I'll send 14 year old off to check out the facilities or something as she gets irate and agitated when it doesn't go right first go, which doesn't really help matters.  There have been some useful threads on reversing and I've been quietly taking it all in, just gathering up my courage.

Thanks for all the advise - we went on Saturday to have the demo and collect our new TT, the demo was fine, seams fairly simple to put-up!

Hitched it to the new tow-bar, plugged the electrics in - no light, indicators - all completeley dead!

Phoned the guy who installed the tow bar -he was out to our house in under an hour and had it all fixed and working within another half hour!

We went back on Sunday and picked it up and towed it home without any problems - I did occasionaly forget it was there and catch site of this green thing (the cover) right behind me and thinking he's a bit close!

The towing was simple - I am yet to try reversing!